22
2011
Mets Must Trade Reyes? Says Who?
An article by Craig Lerner
Just got a chuckle out of an article I just read by some guy called Rob Parker of ESPN New York. Our friend (not really), writes that because the Mets have been rebuffed by Jose Reyes, they have just one option; trade him.
If the Mets weren’t sure what to do with Reyes — trade him or try to re-sign him — it should be crystal clear now. The Mets must trade Reyes, their All-Star shortstop, for the best package available by the July 31 trading deadline. It only makes sense. The last thing this organization can do is live in some fantasy world in which they believe they can’t live without Reyes. The truth is that they can. Hate to break it to the you-can’t-trade-Reyes crowd, but there hasn’t been a championship banner raised here since he arrived in Queens.
That’s easy for him to say, but who is this guy anyway?
Parker then goes on to justify his reasoning (or lack thereof) for trading Reyes with this priceless nugget,
It’s not fair. But you just get the feeling that with the Mets’ luck with signing big-time players to fat-money contracts, Reyes would wind up hurt next season and the Mets will be saddled with the deal for years to come. It’s just how things seem to happen for the Mets. Can you say Mike Hampton? Or Johan Santana? You get the idea.
Mike Hampton?
First of all, Mike Hampton never got hurt or missed any significant time. He pitched 32 games for the Mets that season, won 15 of them, and was largely responsible for leading the Mets all the way to the World Series which we lost to the Yankees in 2000.
Second of all, we didn’t sign Mike Hampton, we traded for him in the offseason and gave up Octavio Dotel, Roger Cedeno and Kyle Kessel for him and Derek Bell (remember him?) . Hampton was essentially a one year rental.
Finally, Hampton never signed any free agent contract with the Mets (Thank God!) after that 2000 season. That dishonor went to the Colorado Rockies who paid him an obscene $125 million dollars in what ended up being one of the five worst contracts in the history of the game.
Luckily for the Mets, Hampton wasn’t to keen on the average SAT scores in the NY-NJ-CT Tri-State area at the time and wanted his kids to have a first class education.
So anyway, how can this so-called journalist not know any of that?
Don’t they have editors at ESPN?
I guess we better get used to this king of trash journalism as the season goes on, especially now that Jose Reyes finally put an end to the daily “Sandy Alderson needs to make Reyes an offer” diatribes.
Brace yourselves Mets fans.
About the Author: Craig Lerner
I'm a data analyst and researcher for a leading news agency who loves life and is hooked on the Mets. I love following the Amateur Draft and have a particular fondness for the Mets Minor Leagues who I follow each day. Give me a cold beer, a summer day, and a Mets game, and I'm good to go.
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NL East Standings
| Team | W | L | Pct. | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Braves | 25 | 18 | .581 | - |
| Nationals | 23 | 21 | .523 | 2.5 |
| Phillies | 21 | 23 | .477 | 4.5 |
| Mets | 17 | 24 | .415 | 7.0 |
| Marlins | 12 | 32 | .273 | 13.5 |
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And the most important point you and Mr. Parker failed to mention? The Mets received two compensation picks for losing Mike Hampton. The first pick (#18 overall) was used on Aaron Heilman. The second pick (#38 overall) was used to select David Wright.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/draft/?round=1&year_ID=2001
Wow, you’re REALLY concerned about ONE aspect of this guy’s article. I mean, he does write for ESPN and you don’t so he has some credibility, even if he does enjoy controversial reporting. I think what he meant in terms of Hamptom was paying someone for a career year and them playing below average for the duration of the ensuing contract.
If you take a deep breath and think rationally, he makes a good point. This is a career year for Reyes, assuming he stays healthy and the rest of the way, he will probably never replicate a year like this, but he will be getting paid like someone who should have this type of season regularly. I think the better comparison would be Carlos Beltran or J.D. Drew. If the Mets re-sign Reyes I believe they will get production (unlike the Rockies got with Hampton) but that production will be no where near what the worth of the contract dictates.
I don’t think it’s a “career year” rather I think when we look back 10 years from now 2011 will be a “normal” year for Reyes. Reyes has been “blossoming” over the last several years… he still could have better plate discipline and I think will develop into a 15-20 home run guy.
A “normal” year for Reyes:
.300 avg
17 home runs
73 rbi’s
13 triples
111 runs scored
40 stolen bases
.370 on base percentage (?)
Very good defensively…
If he made such a good point as you say, then why did ESPN edit out that part of hos story this morning? I think you’re the only one who sees eye to eye with Mr. Parker.
I believe the Mets will make an all out attempt to re-sign Reyes. It’s not to say there may be some kook of owner who is going to give Jose the sun, the moon, and the stars. But the Mets will certainly be players in this. Just to wave caution flag here, Jose has missed significant playing time the past two years. Whoever does sign him needs to keep that very much in mind.
I agree with this. Yes Jose has been injured for the past couple of years but teams (including the Mets) need to keep this in mind when signing him.
I could bet a million dollars that The Mets will go ALL OUT in signing Jose Reyes, and i gaurantee that he will not be traded at the deadline. But if the Mets get nothing but two draft picks in return, then an angry mob will insue at Citi Field.
Is it worth noting that they took the Hampton piece out?
http://sports.espn.go.com/new-york/mlb/columns/story?columnist=parker_rob&id=6689273
“It’s just how things seem to happen for the Mets. Can you say Johan Santana?”
I’m sorry and I understand that a segment of Mets fans think no matter what the Mets have to keep Jose Reyes. Here’s the problem. He clearly is hitting the open market. Clearly. At that point, he’s gone.
Which gives the Mets brass 2 options
After the Phillies series ends on July 17th, if the Mets are *under* .500, they must entertain offers for him. They must. And if they get offered something that is clearly valued as greater than 2 picks, they must take it. It’s awful, he’s homegrown, but he’s leaving. You gotta look out for the franchise first, players second.
If what they are offered is not better than the 2 picks, then they must make their offer to Jose and let him leave on his own. When Reyes chooses to play elsewhere, he will be the bad guy, not Alderson.
It is not a fact as you imply that Reyes will be the bad guy. It is your opinion and likely a wrong one. Except for the most devout followers of Alderson, the rest of the fandom is more likely to believe it was the dwindling fortune of the Wilpons that caused him to leave.
MCI: What I meant is that if the Mets offer Reyes a fair contract and he chooses to go to another team, lets just say Philadelphia. Then he left “us”. If he loves the Mets so much, he’d sign here if they made him a fair offer.
Well, just saying he did not want to negotiate in season does not mean he hits FA. The Mets still have a negotiating window 9a month?) at seasons end.
it also does not mean sandy won’t continue to work scenarios with his agent behind the scenes. and when that happens, no can change to Yes.
and this also does not mean he does not want to remain a met (or that it isn’t his first choice). Just that he wants to find out what his open market value is. Entirely possible that he still gives the Mets match 9or come close) rights at the end.
Hell, this might be the perfect situation where they could trade him, and still get him back, as long as he goes someplace that he isn’t likely to want to sign LT with!